Powder River Examiner -

The following piece presents a series of answers to questions posed to the candidates running for the contested local positions in the June primary election. This week we have the candidates for the Sheriff and Treasurer/Assessor positions, and next week plan on the four candidates for the open Commissioner position. The candidates were asked the following: Please provide us with your background, education, and some personal history. For those in incumbent positions we asked: Please list one or two professional accomplishments from your current term, and What are two goals you would like to accomplish if re-elected? For those challenging for a position: What qualities and skills would you bring to this position? and What are two goals you would like to accomplish if elected?

Running for Sheriff are incumbent Allen Drane, Jr and challenger Devin Boman. Running for Treasurer/Assessor are incumbent Patty Phillippi and challenger Hattie Arithson. We present the answers with minimal editing from what the candidate originally delivered. Absentee ballots will be mailed on May 13th. A candidate forum, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, is planned for Wednesday, May 25th in the high school auditorium. The primary election will take place June 7th.

I live in Powder River County with the love of my life, my wife, Rebecca Boman, who is the junior high and high school social studies teacher at Powder River County District High School. We have three young children, Reagan, Thea and Henry. Rebecca and I met while I was in the US Army, stationed in Korea and she was teaching English in China. I have worked on the Mangen Ranch for the last six years. Being a veteran of the Afghanistan war, I have also been the Commander of Broadus VFW post 1595 for over two years.

My background with the US Army is in military intelligence. I was part of what is known as a JACKAL team. Our job was to figure out who the bad guys were and then go get them. This was not your "standard" military experience. I have training in forensic analysis, crime scene investigation, crowd control, real world tactical experience and training, field medical experience, and training, apprehending and detaining personnel. I am also pursuing a degree in criminal justice and I am an avid learner of the law and the criminal justice system as a whole.

In addition to the skills I learned from my time in the military, I possess quality character traits which I will bring to the office of sheriff. These include, leadership, integrity, virtue, a strong moral compass and the ability to wade through bureaucratic and administrative duties in order to make sure things are run smoothly and efficiently. I bring with me these skills and more, all with an emphasis on teamwork and community involvement.

One of my first objectives is to foster, promote and achieve a cohesive unit within the Sheriff's office, an office that supports liberty and constitutional values. We will create a working environment that is positive, professional and most importantly, one that gets the job done. Through leadership, integrity and setting a positive example, I will help make the sheriff's office a team that truly serves the people of our community as a united front.

Another objective I have is to bring better communication to the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office is not a single entity. They work continuously with other departments and people within this county and outside of it. I would improve communication both within the office and interdepartmentally. The better our office is at communication, the quicker and more efficient the response time is for all emergency departments. We need to be constantly asking "How can we better serve the needs of our community?" And then we must work hard at implementing these changes. We are all in this together.

Powder River County must be a free and safe place to live for current and future generations.